We’ve recently debunked a Russian-spread fake cover of Charlie Hebdo with Zelenskyy caricatured as Quasimodo, “an exile from the world’s politics.” This time, an image of a fake cover from another French magazine, Courrier International, was shared online. On the cover, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is depicted as a hospice patient, cared for by French President Emmanuel Macron.
What happened?
On Dec 26, the Telegram channel “Медведь” (“Bear,” archive), which regularly promotes pro-Russian propaganda, posted about the weekly outlet Courrier International that’s supposedly depicting the French President as a caretaker holding up patients of the hospice, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Macron’s wife, Brigitte.
“French magazine presents Macron as an insane hospital attendant that loves to “take care” of those who have one leg in the grave already, like Zelenskyy or Brigitte Macron,” the post says.
The news was spread via other pro-Russian Telegram channels (1, 2), Russian social media groups, and web resources that target foreign audiences (1, 2), and X (1, 2, 3).
Analysis
We’ve analyzed the cover shared by pro-Russian sources. Its release date is Dec 26, when three magazine issues have been (covers dates up to Jan 8).
We’ve checked Courrier International’s official website and looked for the latest issues.
It turns out that the weekly magazine N 1781.1782.1783 was really released on Dec 19. The issue, entitled “Ce qui nous lie” (“What connects us”), was dedicated to restoring social bonds.
“After a chaotic year, there is a strong desire to renew social connections. We offer you initiatives aimed at rethinking how we live together,” the issue’s foreword says.
The description for the issue says it’s the last triple issue of 2024, and the next issue will be released in print on Jan 9.
The magazine also wrote on X about the fake cover, asking X users to stop reposting it because it’s a fake and wasn’t published in Courrier International.
Conclusion: Fake
Author: Olha Yakovleva
Read more
- No, French artist didn’t create street art with Zelenskyy on leash
- No, British professor didn’t compare Zelenskyy to vampire
Subscribe to news from Kharkiv, Ukraine
Most important stories from the frontline region
